Rockets top Warriors 94-88 to take season series

Houston Rockets' James Harden, center, goes up for a shot between Golden State Warriors' Festus Ezeli, left, and Carl Landry during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, March 8, 2013, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)
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Houston Rockets' James Harden, center, goes up for a shot between Golden State Warriors' Festus Ezeli, left, and Carl Landry during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, March 8, 2013, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)
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Golden State Warriors' Andrew Bogut, right, passes from the floor to Stephen Curry during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Houston Rockets Friday, March 8, 2013, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)— AP

Golden State Warriors' Andrew Bogut, right, passes from the floor to Stephen Curry during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Houston Rockets Friday, March 8, 2013, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)
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Houston Rockets' Jeremy Lin, left, drives the ball against Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry (30) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, March 8, 2013, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)— AP

Houston Rockets' Jeremy Lin, left, drives the ball against Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry (30) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, March 8, 2013, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)
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Houston Rockets' Chandler Parsons, right, drives the ball against Golden State Warriors' Festus Ezeli during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, March 8, 2013, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)— AP

Houston Rockets' Omer Asik (3) shoots against Golden State Warriors' Andrew Bogut during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, March 8, 2013, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)
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Houston Rockets' Thomas Robinson (41) and Golden State Warriors' Carl Landry (7) fight for a rebound during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, March 8, 2013, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)— AP

Houston Rockets' Thomas Robinson (41) and Golden State Warriors' Carl Landry (7) fight for a rebound during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, March 8, 2013, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)
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Jeremy Lin added 15 points and seven rebounds to help Houston improve to 3-0 against his former team this season in a matchup for Western Conference playoff position.

The Rockets (34-29) are one game behind the Warriors (35-28) for sixth place in the conference.

Stephen Curry had 24 points and eight assists and Klay Thompson scored 22 points for Golden State, which fell to 2-1 during its season-long seven-game homestand.

David Lee added 16 points and five rebounds for the Warriors despite bruising his right knee in the first half.

The Warriors shot 37.9 percent from the floor, while the Rockets were held to 36.5 percent.

The Rockets rallied to score the first nine points of the fourth quarter, going ahead 82-76 on Francisco Garcia's 3-pointer. Curry and Thompson each connected from beyond the arc sandwiched around another Houston basket, then the Warriors tied the game at 86 on Harrison Barnes' layup with 3:50 remaining.

Harden, who shot just 3 of 17 from the floor, made 3 of 4 free throws over the next two possessions to lift the Rockets to an 89-86 lead. Lee's dunk off a pretty pick-and-roll pass from Curry brought the Warriors within a point before Harden made another from the line to extend Houston's lead to 90-88 with 1:09 to play.

After Barnes missed a mid-range jumper, Lin got Curry in the air and drew a foul. Lin, cut by the Warriors last year before breaking out with the New York Knicks, made both free throws.

Then Curry missed an open 3-pointer following a timeout, and Warriors coach Mark Jackson declined to foul the Rockets.

Instead, Harden lost the ball to Lee, whose quick pass ahead to Curry was intercepted by Carlos Delfino to seal Houston's victory.

The Rockets entered the game averaging 107 points, which was tied with Oklahoma City for the most in the NBA. Houston had reached 100 points in 17 of past 18 games.

For the first time in a long time, the Rockets had to find another way to win late.

The Rockets, who tied the NBA record with 23 made 3-pointers in a testy 140-109 rout of the Warriors in Houston on Feb. 5, started out strong from long range. They made 5 of 6 from beyond the arc to take a 17-16 lead to open the game.

Golden State briefly lost Lee to a bruised right knee after the All-Star forward missed a rebound and fouled Thomas Robinson with 4:36 remaining in the quarter. Lee went to the locker room for observation, and he returned in the second half wearing a white wrap around the knee.

The Warriors withstood Lee's limitations and Houston's shooters for most of the game. They started attacking the basket instead of settling on the perimeter, going ahead 41-28 on Curry's floater in the lane in the second quarter.